Target



Wlarch 18, 1958 E. E. FOSTER TARGET 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 2. 1956 INVENTOR By flaw, V XM ATTORNEYS.

March 18, 1958 E. E. FOSTER TARGET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2. 1956 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 9 TARGET Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex.

Application .luiy 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,291

4 Claims. (Cl. 273--102.4)

This invention relates to portable shooting targets and more particularly to improvements in portable shooting targets of the type adapted to be used with toy pistols, rifles and the like.

Many toy guns adapted to shoot missiles, such as corks, Ping-pong balls, paper pellets and the like, are known in the art. Manifestly the enjoyment of guns of this type is greatly enhanced by the use of a suitable target therewith. Additionally, the provision of a target serves to collect the missile shot from the guns and further to completely eliminate any possibility of damage to household articles which are fragile enough to be broken by even the relatively harmless articles shot from such guns.

Therefore, it is a general object of this invention to provide an improved target for toy guns of the above described type.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a target which is comprised of a composite unitary structure.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a target which is lightweight, portable and which is adapted for quick and easy assembly and disassembly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved shooting target which is characterized by its compact and inexpensive construction but which is sturdy and capable of long life use.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved shooting target assembly wherein the target structure is collapsibly mounted as to be easily folded and stored when not in use and in addition is loosely supported for absorbing shock when in use.

In accordance with a specific illustrative embodiment of this invention the improved shooting target includes a composite unitary structure adapted to be folded into a relatively compact and easily stored box when not in use. The top and bottom covers of the box, together with a pair of side support panels, provide the sole support for the target. The target, which advantageously is a sheet-like structure, is relatively loosely held in place by the side support panels and top cover when the target is set up for use and collapses so as to be completely enclosed within the top and bottom cover when the target is folded and not in use.

in accordance with a feature of this invention the target structure is made from a resilient shock absorbing material such as plastic, cloth and the like and is formed with several pockets therein for catching and trapping missiles such as Ping-pong balls and the like shot at the target. It is another feature that the several pockets of the target structure to be formed of different colored materials, each having an opening at the front end of the target, so as to provide a colorful and attractive bulls-eye configuration.

The side panels supporting the target structure advantageously are fastened to the inner side walls of the top and bottom covers of the box and are foldable at their centers so that they may be completely enclosed 2,827,297 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 by the box when the target is stored away. It is another feature that the side panels have a plurality of flaps associated therewith adapted to be folded out in supporting relation with the top and bottom covers of the box to provide a rigid and upright assembly when the target is in use.

The above and other features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of this invention, its advantages and specific objects attained by its use reference is had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive material in which is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of the target assembly embodying the invention in its completely enclosed form;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the target assembly in its partially assembled form;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the target assembly in its completely assembled form;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a cross section of the target assembly taken on line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view of the target assembly taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view of the target assembly taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a view showing the side panel and flap support construction.

Referring now to the drawing there is shown a specific illustrative embodiment of the invention which is exemplary of the novel principles of the invention. The target structure generally designated as 28, advantageously comprises a relatively large sheet of resilient shock absorbing material such as cloth, plastic and the like which is adapted to be loosely supported in a vertical position when the target is assembled for use. Preferably target 28 has an opening 25 at a central portion thereof through which may be seen a further pair of loosely supported target sheets 52 and 54. Sheet 52 may be secured at its edges to the rear surface of target sheet 50 such as to provide a pocket 57 for retaining the missiles shot through the central opening 29.

As best seen in Figure 4, target sheet 54 is secured at its edges to the rear surface of target sheet 52. Target sheet 52 is secured at its edges to the rear surface of target sheet 5 and advantageously is provided with a central opening 53 through which missiles, such as ping-pong balls 55 may be shot. Ping-pong balls 55 shot through opening 53 are retained by the pocket defined by the junction of target sheets 52 and 54 and ping-pong balls 5'5 shot through opening 51 but not through opening 53 will be retained by the pocket defined by the junction of target sheets 50 and 52. It will be appreciated that each of the target sheets 59, 52 and 54 may be colored in a diiferent manner to provide an eye-pleasing bulls-eye appearance, thereby adding to the enjoyment of the use of the target device.

Target 28 is fastened along its side edges to side support panels 24 and 26, respectively, as by staples 31 disposed along the rear edge of the support panels. Target 28 is fastened along its upper end to the rear portion of upper lid 12 by means of staples 31. Manifestly, target 28 may be fastened to the support panels and the upper lid by any suitable means such as pins, tacks, rivets, etc., equally as well as by staples 31.

Each support panel comprises a pair of panel members adapted to be folded at their junction. For example, support panel 2 5- comprises upper panel member 30 and lower panel member 33 foldable inwardly at crease 3 Similarly, support panel 26 comprises an upper panel member 38 and a lower panel member 39 adapted to be folded inwardly at crease 4i). Support panel 24 has an upper flap 34 connected to upper panel member 3tl and a' lower flap 36 connected to lower panel member 33. Likewisefsupport panel 26 has an upper flap 42 connected to;upperpanel member 33 and a lower fiap' ld connected to lower :panel member 39. Each flap is 'adapted to be foldedwith respect to its associated panel member such that when adjacent panel members are folded at their respective creases and placed one upon the other upon disassembly ofthe target the flaps are folded inwardly in overlapping relation with their associated panel members. j

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the flaps are formed in a substantially triangular fashion with the larger or base portion of each flap at the cover supporting end thereof and with the narrow or apex portion of each flap adjacent creases 32 or at ofthe support panels. This construction facilitates the folding of support panels 24 and 26 during disassembly of the target to help provide a compact and portable target assembly for easy storage.

Upper panel members 3% and 33 of support panels 24 and 25, res ectively, advantageously are fastened to opposite ones of the end'walis of upper cover 12 of the box. by means of staples 35 or other suitable fastening devices. ln a like manner lower panel members 33 and 39 also advantageously are fastened to opposite ones of the end walls of lower cover 14 of the box by means of staples 35 or other suitable fastening devices. This is illustrated in Figure 3, for example, which shows staples 35' securing panel 39 to upper cover wall it: and panel 33 to lower cover wall 28. Thus, when covers 12 and 14 are separated upon assembly of the target, support panels 24 and 26 are pulled to their upright condition to thereby maintain the covers in spaced relation and to support target 28 in missilereceiving condition therebetween.

' In accordance with another aspect of the'invention a triangular keeper is connected to the wide or base portion of each of the flaps and is adapted to be placed at right anglesto the flap and in engaging relation with the inner surface of its associated panel member for s 1- porting the flap in an upright, rigid condition. Thus, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, keepers 6i and 62 are connected in folding relation with flaps 42 and respectively. When the target is disassembled each keeper is folded over so as to be adjacent its associated flap as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 to facilitate'the target disassembly. When the target is assembled, each keeper is folded outwardly at right angles to its associated flap sons to engage the adjacent panel member to the end that the flap is rigidly supported in upright position.

The target when fully assembled appears as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

support panels 24 and 2s. The latter are held in substantially rigid vertical position as a result of the supporting action of panel members 34, 3d, 42 and 44 and their associated flaps and keepers. Thus, when the target is completely assembled flaps 34 and 36 are unfolded so as to'be substantially at right angles to panel members 34 and 33 respectively and in abutment with the front Walls 18 and 22 of upper cover 12 and lower cover 14, respectively. The wide portions of these flaps fit within the upper and lower box covers in supporting relation and a'rernaintained thereat by their keepers in the manner explained above. Support panel 26 also is maintained in substantially rigid vertical position by unfolding flaps -42, and 44 at substantially right angles to upper and lower panel members 3 and 3?, respectively, with the widest portions of the'fiaps tted in supporting relation within the upper and lowert covers in abutment with front walls IS'and 22 of upper cover i2 and lower cover 14, respec- 'tively. 7

When the target is assembled thusly, target 28 hangs in Upper cover 12 and lower 7 cover 14 are maintained in properly spaced relation by 4 V a loosely supported vertical position for absorbing the impact of the missiles shot thereat. It will be appreciated that when the missiles are shot at the target the ones hitting target sheet 54 will be retained by the pocket provided by target sheets 52 and 54, and the missiles hitting the target sheet 52 will be retained by the pocket provided by target sheets and S2; in the event a missile fails to enter either of the central openings 51. or

53 and strikes the front of target sheet Shit will drop into the box bottom and be retained by' the enclosure provided by the walls of lower cover 14. Thus, the missiles notonly have their impact absorbed by the loose target sheets, but additionally the necessity of chasing missiles and the possibility of losing missiles after shooting are eliminated since they never leave the target assembly. Still further, scoring ofthe hits or misses of the user is facilitated by this'novel construction;

After the shooting is completed the target may be easily and rapidly disassembled and stored in a compact manner. This is done by folding back the keepers of flaps 34, 36, 42 and 44, and then folding back the flaps to overlap theirassociated panel members. Support panels 24 and 26 then are folded inwardly at creases 32 and 49 respectively for collapsing the entire target structure. 7

it has been found that the folding operation is facilitated if support panels 24 and 26 are folded in sequence rather than simultaneously. Thus, one support panel is folded inwardly until the other ends of upper and lower covers 12 and 14 are closed. Target 28 due to its flexible construction will fold easily between the upper and lower covers during this operation such that the resulting stored target will appear as shown in Figure l of the drawing.

it will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the above described target structure without departing from the real spirit and purpose of the invention and that it is intended to cover by the appended claims any modified forms of structures or use of mechanical equivalents which reasonably may 7 be included within their scope.

.What is claimed is: a 1. A unitary composite shooting target comprising a box having upper and lower covers, said covers when covers when the covers are closed and being maintained in upright missile receiving condition when the covers are held in spaced apart relation by said support members, the bottom of said target hanging free adjacent the rear of said bottom'cover for absorbing missile shock, and upright flanges formed around the edges of said bottom cover and defining an enclosure for retaining missiles received by said target.

2. A unitary composite shooting target in accordance with claim l wherein each'of said support members is foldable at a central portion thereof to define a pair of panels and further comprising a pair of substantially triangularly shaped flaps connected in folding relation with each of said support members, each flap being connected to its associated panel such that when the flaps are unfolded they cngage the upper and lower covers to maintain the support members in their target supporting condition and when the flaps'are folded theyperrnit the support members and the target to be folded and enclosed within the closed covers. a

V 3. A unitary composite shooting target in accordance with claim 2 wherein each flap has a keeper member foldably attached thereto adapted when unfolded to support the flap in support member maintaining condition.

4. A compact unitary target assembly for use with missile shooting devices comprising a box having upper and lower covers, said covers being adapted when placed one within the other to form a target storing enclosure, a first support member secured to one end of each of said upper and lower covers, a second support member secured to another end of each of said upper and lower covers, each of said support members being foldable at a central portion thereof to define a pair of panels, a triangular flap attached to each panel, and foldable with respect thereto, a triangular keeper attached to each flap and foldable with respect thereto, and a collapsible sheetlike target secured to said support members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

